Oct132014
Rabiot could become an Arsenal player in January but must battle AS Roma for his signature.
Top secret meetings between the representatives of in-demand PSG midfielder Adrien Rabiot and of Italian club, AS Roma have raised some dust at the Emirates.
The subject of the 19-year old French U-21 International’s transfer has made the headlines of major media outlets in both France, England and Italy as the uncertainty of his situation at the Parc de Princes continues to progress in the negative. With Arsenal and Roma thought to be neck-and-neck in the rumble for his signature, it seems the Italians have planned a behind-the-scenes coup against Arsenal, in a bid to move ahead of their transfer rivals to capture him.
Rabiot has rejected an offer from PSG to stay on for £50,000, with various sources claiming the teenager is holding out for a top-up of £30,000 to that figure. His rejection of the new terms have seen him alienated from first team duties and behind the likes of Marco Veratti and Blaise Matuidi in Laurent Blanc’s scale of preference for midfield duties. Rabiot now looks set to make a move away to pastures anew abroad, and while Arsene Wenger have had high hopes of convincing his countryman to move to the Emirates by January, Roma look to use their impressive start to the Serie A season as the lure for Rabiot to move to Rome.
Roma seem to be confident of landing the highly rated midfielder, with the possibility of funds being recouped from the sale of Kevin Strootman to United in January. Though they’ve appeared to be adamant on a no-show as far as the sale of Strootman is concerned, there is a feeling that a ridiculous amount of money shoved down their throats will be difficult to throw up. Various sources suggest a fee of about £75 million would see the Dutchman link up with his ex-coach Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford, thereby creating space for the arrival of Rabiot. However, Strootman has not kicked a ball for more than 4 months and doesn’t look set to be fully fit for action even in January.
If confirmed as true, the smart move by Roma must be something sure to strike a pang on Wenger’s nerves, but should serve as a wake-up call to him to make the moves he has to make if he has any concrete intentions of getting his man.
Rabiot is a very versatile midfielder, who can play as a defensive midfielder, but is at his best when asked to boss the midfield, in the same vein as Jack Wilshere or Aaron Ramsey does. With a delightful left-foot and the swagger of a folk dancer, Rabiot is surely one of the most exciting players of the current generation of 19 year olds – oh how we’d love him to be a gooner.
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